So, lately, I have switched a few things in my daily routine and it’s helped me be more focused, energized and productive. So today, I will be sharing with you these 3 simple habits that you can adopt into your life.
To have a successful day, you need to prepare for it the day before. This why the night before, I (and this is my tip no 1):
- Leave my phone and computer in a separate room. I used to always sleep with my phone on my nightstand and although I turned off the internet, there was something about having a connected device near my head that made me uncomfortable. So, thanks to Mel Robbins J I decided to leave my phone charging overnight in the kitchen. This means I cannot watch another video in my bed or be tempted to check my emails etc. I am making my room space for rest, relaxation and reading. Oh and one thing, since the phone is plugged in the kitchen, I was worried I wouldn’t hear the alarm in the morning or it would wake up the entire family when it goes off. Good thing I still hear it (no chance to hit the snooze button) and I energetically get up to turn it off so the rest of the family enjoys their sleep a little longer.
- The second thing that has dramatically helped me with my focus and productivity is waking up at least one hour before I have to. I used to be this person who would hit snooze a million times and only get up when I had to. Don’t get me wrong I am almost never late for work or my appointments. It’s just I used to get ready in a flash of an eye and that was just to enjoy one extra minute of sleep. Now, just like I said earlier, I like to prepare the success of my day the day before. So after dinner and clean-up, I like to read a bit before I go to bed and retire at around 11 pm. When I wake up at 6 am, I have one full hour or sometimes more for me. I can enjoy the silence or meditate, journal, read, stretch or even work on a project. I am not sure why it took me so long to implement this habit. I knew that all successful people start their days early but it only hit me after reading Morning Miracle by Hal Elrod. So if you need more arguments and proof that waking up is good for you, I highly recommend you read the book.
- The next habit that has made a huge impact on my mood and overall well-being is: working out. Let’s get this straight. I never liked or enjoyed working out. I always found it ridiculous to be sweaty and looking like a mad person forced onto manual labor. But there was this week where I was in bed for a few days because of bad flu. I took medication but I was still feeling tired. In fact, I had been feeling this low energy for ages. No matter how long I slept at night or if I took a nap or not, I was still feeling tired. As a mom, a wife who also runs a business and teaches at university, my tiredness may be understandable but I just couldn’t handle it anymore. I needed energy. Not supplements. Not an energy drink. Not a quick fix. So, I was faced with the fact I needed to try working out. The moment I decided to start working out, I feel I became a new person. My goal wasn’t to lose weight or to look toned. My goal was simply to move my body, that was tired of sitting in front of the computer screen all day. So now, 3 times a week, I go first thing in the morning to a park and do a mix of walking, running and using machines. That is my treat of the day. And being out in nature gives an additional bonus that is so good for the mind and body. It has now become my routine and I just love it. When I don’t go out to the park, I put on a YT video and do a quick workout at home. The ultimate goal is to get moving and to improve endurance.
So there you guys, these are my 3 simple habits I urge you to try for yourself. If you feel, it’s too much for you, then try one habit at a time and when you know it’s become a habit then you can move to the next one. Remember, science says that you need to do something for at least 21 days consistently before you can call it a habit.
Let me know in the comments down below which of these 3 habits will you start implementing from tomorrow.
Can’t wait to read your comments. See you soon!